SARS outbreak forces officials to issue warning about travel

Emergence of the mysterious Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARS), an atypical pneumonia, caused officials of the World Health Organization to issue an emergency travel advisory, calling the bug a "world health threat."

However, no cases of SARS have turned up in the United States, though two people returning from Hong Kong died in Toronto. Seven more deaths have been reported.

Claudia Blackburn, director of Amarillo Department of Public Health, said the agency alerted health care providers about the signs and symptoms of SARS and asked to be contacted if a case is suspected.

"As far as we know, it doesn't exist in this area," Blackburn said.

Dr. Julie Gerberding, director of Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control, said concerns for the movement of SARS out of Asia and into the North America prompted the agency to put the public health system on alert for cases.

Symptoms of SARS include fever more than 100.4 degrees and signs of respiratory infection - coughing, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing.

The other information that will help determine whether you have SARS, is if there is a history of travel to Hong Kong, Guangdong province in China or Hanoi within seven days of symptom onset or if you have been in contact with someone who's been to one of those places and has a respiratory illness, Blackburn said.

The Chinese government reported 305 cases by mid-February and WHO received reports of more than 150 new or suspected cases within the last week. Many of the new cases are among health care workers or household contacts of patients. Investigators do not know whether the infection is viral or bacterial.

CDC is advising people who have returned from SARS-infected countries to see their physicians if they develop a fever within seven days following their return.

Countries in which SARS has been reported: China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Two deaths have been reported in Canada. One person is hospitalized in Great Britain.